Perfect
by CassandraMcCord
Summary: A series of one-shots featuring Jennifer Jareau and Emily Prentiss, along with their two daughters, as well as Henry and Michael LaMontagne


_A/N: This fic came to me based on a conversation I had with a certain someone last night, and I couldn't stop thinking about it so I decided to write it. I don't usually write Jemily, because I'm conflicted about the fact that I also love Will and JJ together and I won't get into that because I'll ramble. However, this idea had to be written after the conversation I had last night. For the purposes of this fic, Will and JJ were together, but aren't anymore, so that explains the presence of Henry and Michael._

 _I know I haven't written much Criminal Minds on this site but here you go! I hope you enjoy._

 _This is for the JJ to my Emily._

 _-Cassie_

* * *

It was all quiet in the house; snow was falling in delicate flakes past the window, and landing lightly on snow drifts that had piled outside the Prentiss-Jareau household. The windowpanes were cool to the touch, and as dusk approached on Christmas Eve, white icicle lights lit up the front porch. Inside, six people were gathered in a cozy living room, piled under warm blankets and cuddled up together. A large Christmas tree stood in the corner, surrounded by brightly wrapped packages that caught the light and glittered invitingly. From the mantle hung six stockings, lined up neatly in a row and embroidered with the names of their respective owners. Jennifer Jareau, her long blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, smiled at the sight around her.

It hadn't been easy getting here, but she couldn't imagine her life any differently than it was now.

"Are you guys ready?" asked Emily, looking around at the four children that were curled up together with she and JJ. Henry, the eldest at 13, nodded his head, and the others followed suit. Emily opened the worn crimson cover of her copy of A Christmas Carol. Throughout the time leading up to Christmas, the whole family had gathered to read the story in installments, and tonight, Christmas Eve, they would finish the whole thing before bed.

"Claire, sweetie, be careful with that," JJ reminded their older daughter gently. Claire, at four years old, nodded her head slowly, and her golden curls fell into her face. She carefully steadied her hot chocolate while Emily reached over Michael to brush her hair back again for her. Claire gave Emily a bright smile and Emily couldn't help the familiar warmth that spread through her at the sight. She pressed a kiss to the top of their two-year-old's head, and Amelia leaned back against her, a warm and familiar weight.

JJ put her free arm around Henry's shoulders, and he smiled at her, his eyes bright behind his glasses. Now a gangly teenager, Henry was, in many ways, so different from the little boy who had dressed up as Spencer for Halloween so many years before. Yet, when he smiled at her, she could see traces of the child he had been.

As Emily began to read, JJ watched her. The candles they'd lit earlier were burning low, and the scent of the chocolate chip cookies they had all baked together after dinner still lingered in the air. The room was warm and Emily looked natural and at peace with their youngest settled comfortably on her lap. JJ smiled at the sight of their daughter's still-soft baby curls brushing up against Emily's smooth skin. As snow continued to fall outside their house and Emily's familiar voice filled the room, all four of the kids listened patiently. JJ was overwhelmed with gratitude for her big, beautiful mess of a family.

As JJ smiled over at her, Emily felt a flutter in her chest, a feeling she had long-since come to associate with JJ's presence. There was, and always had been, something about her.

* * *

When the story ended, Emily and JJ looked around at their children.

"I think it's bedtime for you guys," Emily remarked.

"Wait!" Claire exclaimed. JJ reached over quickly to take the half-full mug of sweet cocoa from her, just in time.

"Wait for what?" Henry asked his little sister.

"We have to put the cookies out for Santa!" Claire explained. She untangled herself from the blanket she'd been sharing it with 6-year-old Michael, and ran into the kitchen. Her small footsteps were half-muffled by the hem of her pink candy-cane pajamas, which were just barely too long for her. JJ and Emily smiled at each other as the rest of them followed Claire into the kitchen. Emily carried Amelia behind Michael, who was never far behind Claire, and Henry helped JJ bring all the dirty mugs into the kitchen. Claire and Michael were standing on their tip-toes in an attempt to see the cookies on the kitchen island.

"Cookies!" Amelia squealed, reaching out for them from her perch in Emily's arms. Emily laughed, no longer guarded as it once had been, but open and beautiful. JJ smiled to herself as she herself stood on tip-toe to reach the plate she wanted from the cupboard. "Okay, everyone can have one of the small ones," JJ began, "and the rest are for Santa, right?"

"Right," the kids chorused. JJ smiled at Henry as he helped the middle two siblings up onto the barstools that were lined up on one side of the island. She knew he didn't believe in Santa anymore, but he was great with the little ones, and she was so proud of the person he was growing up to be. Emily sat down with Amelia in her lap, and soon all the kids had a cookie in front of them. JJ shook her head as she watched crumbs fall onto the counter. Nothing stayed clean for long, but she never minded much, especially not when it gave them this kind of joy. Emily reached over with her free hand to rest it atop one of JJ's and the two of them smiled at each other.

"Done!" Amelia proclaimed proudly; she was the last to finish her cookie.

"Okay, time to brush your teeth and get into bed," Emily said to the kids. "And then we'll come and tuck you in, okay?" Henry and Michael ran off up the stairs with Claire close on her heels.

"I'll help them while you clean up?" Emily said to JJ, who nodded her head in agreement and smiled at Emily, who followed the kids up the stairs. When JJ had finished wiping the counters down, she headed up the stairs, running a delicate hand over the wooden banister as she went. Something about Christmas Eve made her even more appreciative of the family that she and Emily had together, and she paused at the top of the stairs, listening and taking it all in. She could hear the children chatting and Emily laughing. She was broken from her reverie by Henry's voice beside her.

"Hey, Mom," he said. She opened her eyes and smiled at him.

"Hey, Henry," she said.

"Do I have to go to sleep?" he asked. JJ laughed.

"No, but stay in your room, and lights out at ten, okay?" she said. He nodded agreeably and then moved forward to hug her. He was almost as tall as she was now, and she rested her hand on the back of his head for a moment, pressing a kiss against his temple.

"I love you," she said.

"Love you too," he said, giving her a crooked grin before he stepped back into his bedroom and closed the door with a soft click. JJ moved on down the line, finding Michael in his blue pajamas sitting on his bed. There was a lump under his blankets, shaped like Claire and shaking with silent laughter. Michael wasn't doing such a good job of containing himself, but was instead giggling openly. JJ couldn't help but laugh at the beautiful sound of her little boy's laughter.

"What's going on in here?" Emily's voice said from the doorway as she stepped inside.

"I don't know," JJ said over Michael's increasingly loud laughter. "I think Michael might be hiding something under his blankets."

"Oh, really?" Emily said. "I wonder where Claire got to." Suddenly, Claire seemed unable to contain herself, because they heard her giggling join Michael, which only made him laugh more. JJ laughed and pulled the blanket off of Claire, who was laughing so much that her little face was bright red.

"Come here, you," JJ said. Claire tumbled off of Michael's bed, still giggling.

"Goodnight, Michael," Emily said, leaning over to kiss his head. "Come on, Claire," she said, reaching out a hand to Claire to lead her to her bedroom. JJ tucked Michael into bed and kissed his forehead.

"Goodnight, silly," she said. "I love you."

"I love you, Mama," he said, traces of laughter lingering in his voice as JJ turned on his nightlight and pulled his bedroom door almost closed, leaving a strip of light falling onto the hardwood floor from the light in the hall. She moved into the room her little girls shared, finding Emily kneeling next to Amelia's toddler bed. Amelia's dark curls were in her face, and Emily brushed them back with a smile. JJ moved over to tuck Claire into bed, kneeling next to her twin bed with the pale pink comforter.

"Santa will come soon, right?" Claire asked, her blue eyes bright with excitement.

"Yes, baby," JJ answered, handing the little girl her favorite stuffed elephant, which had been a gift from Spencer.

"Then we can open presents and see everyone after that?" JJ laughed lightly, brushing her hand over Claire's soft cheek. Claire adored everyone from their BAU family, and she was more excited to see them on Christmas day than she was for her presents.

"Yes, after presents they'll come over for lunch," JJ assured her. "Now, time for sleep, Claire. I love you," she said, kissing Claire's forehead.

"I love you too," Claire replied. JJ moved to Amelia's bed, while Emily went to say goodnight to Claire. When all their goodnights had been said, JJ and Emily turned off the lights and went downstairs together. Emily wrapped her arm around JJ's shoulders and JJ leaned her head against her wife. They were both looking at the Christmas tree, glittering brightly with warm lights.

"Merry Christmas, Em," JJ sighed. Emily smiled slightly, pressing a kiss against JJ's blonde hair, breathing in her apple-scented shampoo and thanking the universe for the millionth time that this woman was a part of her life.

"Merry Christmas, JJ," she breathed.

They were quiet for a moment, each of them lost in thought. Unbeknownst to them, they were thinking of each other.

"I love you," they murmured at the same time, and then the tender moment was over, replaced by laughter and joy that seemed to overflow; their big, beautiful home wasn't even enough to contain all the love inside.

That was fine with them; after all, this perfect mess was more than either of them had ever dared to dream of.


End file.
